One of the most powerful things you can do to keep your nutritional needs cared for, especially during the holiday food frenzy, is to set up your safe snack survival stash. Keep one at home, one at work or at school, one in your car and carry a tiny one with you in your purse, briefcase, or backpack. Your goal is to keep these snacks at the ready, so if you start feeling a bit hungry, you can grab something to eat quickly. Keeping a steady blood sugar level throughout the day helps both mental and physical performance. You certainly don't want to take an exam or make any major decisions when you haven't eaten for awhile, and if you play that basketball game with low blood sugar there is no way you'll play your best! Very important to note: we all have a tendency to lose control of what we eat and how much we eat when we get too hungry--look out M&M's! It's always a good idea to grab one of these little snacks before you go to a big dinner or party, to take charge of your hunger before it takes charge of you!

Safe Snack Survival Snacks need to be:

1) At least somewhat nutrient dense/healthy

2) Portable

3) Non-perishable

4) Fill you up and stabilize your blood sugar (higher in fiber and/or protein is great here)

5) Taste good---let's not waste time trying to tell ourselves to eat it because its good for us when we don't like it. We'll go for the chips every time.